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Reputable British Medical Association contract awarded to JMW’s Employment team

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23/01/2023

Reputable British Medical Association contract awarded to JMW’s Employment team

The highly regarded JMW Employment team has been selected to join the legal panel of the British Medical Association (BMA) to provide support to its members.

Founded in 1832, the BMA has more than 170,000 members and is the professional body and trade union for doctors. Offering representation and expert guidance to its members, the organisation is an essential addition to the JMW Employment team’s portfolio of clients.

The JMW Employment team, ranked in the legal directories Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500, is led by the “very professional and extremely knowledgeable” Paul Chamberlain (as described in Chambers), a UK-leading employment law specialist.

He said: “The BMA has tasked us with providing its members with legal support, including representing them in the Employment Tribunal and County Court where necessary.

“We won our appointment based on a number of key factors, including our reputation as a national firm with excellent employment law and employment litigation experience, our ability to conduct Tribunal cases in all four nations and our being able to offer the BMA a team of accomplished employment law partners and solicitors operating at a senior level.

“Being appointed to the BMA panel after an extremely competitive tender process is testament to the talent, expertise and hard work of our team.”

BOSS OF ONLINE4BABY CHRISTY FOSTER SHORTLISTED FOR TOP BUSINESS RECOGNITION

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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BOSS OF ONLINE4BABY CHRISTY FOSTER SHORTLISTED FOR TOP BUSINESS RECOGNITION

E-commerce, Chadderton-based business Online4baby’s chief executive is eligible for a top accolade at the Northern Power Women Awards 2023.

Christy Foster has been shortlisted for the outstanding entrepreneur prize at the awards, which will be presented at a gala dinner at Manchester Central on Monday, March 20.

The awards – in their seventh year – honour trailblazing women across the region, celebrating their talent and resilience in a variety of fields.

The outstanding entrepreneur category recognises women who are driven by their desire to grow and develop their organisation while having a positive impact on their sector or community. This year’s awards received a record-breaking 1,500 nominations across all categories.

Christy founded Online4baby in 2011 with her sister Cheryl and has spearheaded its development from humble beginnings on market stalls around Greater Manchester into a national success story, with a mission to provide the best possible customer service as a trusted supplier selling high-quality products at great value.

Online4baby has grown into a leading UK e-commerce baby products business which is accelerating towards its goal of becoming a £100m-turnover concern over the next three years.

It sells a vast array of nursery and baby items directly to consumers, with product lines ranging from prams, buggies and car seats to cots, high chairs, nursery furniture, baby walkers, swings and playpens. It sells leading brands such as Joie, Graco and Cybex, and has its own brands, Puggle and 4Baby.

Over the past 18 months, Christy has led a digital transformation of the business, including a new brand identity featuring the strapline ‘Power to Parents’ and a new-look website, while also overseeing a move to new headquarters in Chadderton, Oldham, a strengthening of the senior management team and the introduction of new product ranges. The business, which employs 50 people, sends out over 40,000 orders each month and is looking to soon expand sales into Europe.

Christy and Cheryl were raised in Oldham by a single mother and Christy’s path to entrepreneurial success began at the age of 12, working on a market stall before and after school each day to earn extra money.

In her teens, she embarked on several money-making ventures, including selling jewellery and gift boxes at factories, mills and hairdressing salons.

Christy quickly realised her strengths lay outside the realms of academia and much more in the practicality of running her own business.

She decided to concentrate on selling nursery items and, as her venture grew, her husband Darren, plus Cheryl and her husband Warren, joined her and they branched out to markets in Yorkshire and into wholesaling, buying directly from big brands and catalogue retailers and utilising Christy’s buying skills to push the business to new heights.

Soon afterwards, as eBay took off, Christy switched her focus to this platform and her business became one of the largest eBay baby stores in Europe. She became one of the first eBay millionaires, but realised she could have her own website and created www.online4baby.com.

Christy’s place on the Northern Power Women Awards shortlist is the latest honour for herself and the business in recent months.

She was a northern regional winner and national finalist in the 2022 EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition, and Online4baby was crowned business of the year at the 2022 Oldham Business Awards for companies with turnover of over £5m.

Christy said: “I’m immensely proud to be shortlisted for the outstanding entrepreneur award and am very excited for the ceremony.

“I’m incredibly passionate about giving people a fair chance at success, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or background and, being a working mum myself, I’m committed to supporting other working parents.

“At Online4baby, we have begun offering flexible working hours, more holidays and longer dinner hours, as well as providing free breakfast and lunch items for the team.

“I’m proud to be a female leader and have 50 per cent female representation at board level. I see it as my role to inspire other women to be strong and nurture their own talents. Winning the award would make me hugely proud on an individual level and would also reflect the achievements of colleagues across the business.”

Williams Win Prestigious BMW UK Marketing Award

Automotive

Danielle Trigg

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23/01/2023

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<strong>Williams Win Prestigious BMW UK Marketing Award</strong>

Williams, the Northwest-based prestige automotive retailer, has won the National Marketing Award at this year’s BMW Retailer of the Year awards.

The highly coveted accolade was presented by Michelle Roberts, Marketing Director BMW Group UK with TV and radio stars, Alan Carr and Edith Bowman, at a glittering national award ceremony for BMW retailers from across the UK, at ACC Liverpool.

The team of six, led by Chris Woods, Group Marketing Manager of Williams, were recognised for best in class digital and social media presence, strategic use of social influencers to enhance product and support at key events and a dynamic approach to marketing. Made up of specialists in campaign management, direct marketing, digital, social media, and public relations, the team landed the highly sought-after national marketing award which is the pinnacle in the calendar of the UK’s 135 BMW retail network.

Woods said, “In a competitive sector such as premium brand automotive retail, it is critical that we are at the top of our game when it comes to exploring channels to reach our audience and that creativity is central when delivering our marketing strategy. Recognition by the judges is a true reflection of the class-leading team’s passion and hard work to consistently create integrated campaigns.”

Commenting on the prestigious award win, Managing Director of Williams, Guy Adams, said, “We are so delighted to win this sought-after award which is a true reflection of the hard work and commitment of our marketing team. To be recognised as the best in the country is a fantastic accolade and one that is truly deserved.”

In a stellar year for Williams the focus was on innovation and collaborative working. Securing a prime location at The Manchester Art Fair to display the all-electric BMW i7 and the carefully selected 8 X Jeff Koons 8 pop art car, creating a dynamic activation at Carfest North, and underlining the BMW i range’s family-friendly features, through an influencer collaboration, were key highlights of a year long campaign.

Manchester multifamily development Downing Living receives £227m whole loan financing from Precede Capital and Nomura

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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Manchester multifamily development Downing Living receives £227m whole loan financing from Precede Capital and Nomura

precede. The facility will be used to finance the construction of the multifamily development in Central Manchester, First Street.

This deal is the first originated and arranged by Precede Capital since it announced its partnership with QuadReal Property Group (“QuadReal”) and concurrent rebrand from Précis Capital Partners in January 2023. The partnership saw QuadReal acquire a shareholding in the firm and commit up to £1bn to deploy into its development loans.

Consisting of 1,790 units across three buildings, the First Street development will be targeted at new graduates and young professionals, with units ranging from studio apartments to five-bedroom shared accommodation. Downing, a vertically integrated real estate developer and manager with a 30-year track record and over £2bn of real estate developments delivered across the UK, will construct and manage the property. Completion of phase one is scheduled for August 2024, with phase two scheduled for delivery in March 2025.

The development, which is situated in the heart of Manchester City Centre’s thriving First Street regeneration area, represents an ideal commuting location and is within walking distance of Deansgate, Oxford Road and Manchester Metropolitan stations.

The lenders’ ESG due diligence rated the project highly due to Downing Living’s leading sustainability ambitions. The development will have heating provided by air source heat pumps, EV charging points and rooftop solar PV provision. Downing Living is implementing a strategy for the asset to be net zero by 2038 depending on the extent of grid decarbonisation and connection to the Civic Quarter Heat Network, meaning it will be compliant with ‘net-zero ready’ requirement as contained in the Future Homes Standard.

The facility, which is Precede Capital and QuadReal’s inaugural transaction, as well as Precede’s first development loan in the north of England and second jointly provided with Nomura, brings the total value of residential development loans completed by the firm to over £1.5bn.

George Downing, founder of the Downing group of companies, which owns Downing Living, said: “We are delighted to be working with Precede Capital and progressing another landmark scheme for the city of Manchester. Our First Street development will complete the long-awaited transformation of a key site at the southern gateway to what is one of Europe’s most exciting and progressive cities.

“First Street itself is part of a wider story of investment and confidence in Manchester, a future-proofed ‘15 Minute City’ where we will offer brilliant options to live, work and play on your doorstep.

“We have an excellent track record, working closely with the council, to deliver transformational city-centre regeneration schemes.”

David Jerrard, Chief Credit Officer at Precede Capital, said: “We are delighted to have closed this financing for a high-quality asset and to have provided the Downing Living team with the certainty and backing required to deliver an important project that will help meet the sustained demand for co-living schemes in this market. We are also particularly pleased to have closed our inaugural deal in the north of England, an important milestone which is testament to our team’s extensive industry relationships and our ability to identify and transact on high-calibre opportunities across the UK.”

Zhuu Ming Ang, Co-Head of EMEA Real Estate Financing at Nomura, said: “We are pleased to partner with Precede Capital and QuadReal Property Group to finance the Downing Living development. This will help address the significant undersupply of residential units in the city of Manchester especially for underserved single households.”

Precede Capital was advised by Taylor Wessing and Eversheds. Arcadis provided construction due diligence for the lenders, CBRE acted on the Valuation and Longevity Partners on ESG due diligence. Downing Living was advised by Hill Dickinson (banking legal), DLA (property legal) and Brabners (construction legal). Nomura was advised by Linklaters.

The Slow Readers Club reveal date of album preview event at Castlefield Viaduct, including appearances from special guests

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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The Slow Readers Club reveal date of album preview event at Castlefield Viaduct, including appearances from special guests

The Slow Readers Club have revealed a special album preview listening party for their upcoming album: Knowledge Freedom Power, hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins. The event will be held in the event space at the National Trust’s beautiful new Castlefield Viaduct Sky Park in Manchester on Thursday 16th February 2023.

The band will be joined onstage by Slow Readers Club fan and Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, as they listen through each track and discuss the story of the new album. 20 competition winners and selected press will make up the audience, with a Q&A taking place at the end of the listening party where the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions to the band, Chris or Andy. Fans can enter the competition by pre-ordering the record from the band’s online store HERE.

In order to raise charitable funds and to commemorate the occasion, the band will create a limited edition TSRC X Castlefield Viaduct t-shirt, which they will sell at the event and on the band’s online store. All profits will go to the National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct fund, to support planning a greener future for Castlefield Viaduct which will benefit the great city of Manchester and everyone who visits, lives or works here

The Slow Readers Club also recently added a very intimate show at The Met in Bury as part of Independent Venue Week, which quickly sold-out. Ticket demand for the remainder of the tour is also strong, most notably with a homecoming show at Manchester’s Albert Hall, which sold-out four months in advance. Remaining tickets for the tour are available HERE. The dates are:

FEBRUARY

5th – UK, Bury, The Met (Independent Venue Week show – SOLD OUT)

MARCH

2nd – UK, Barrow-in-Furness, Barrow Library (SOLD OUT)

4th – UK, Leeds, University Stylus

6th – UK, Glasgow, SWG3

7th – UK, Aberdeen, Lemon Tree

9th – UK, Nottingham, Rescue Rooms

10th – UK, Birmingham, O2 Academy 2

11th – UK, Bristol, Thekla

13th – UK, Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms

14th – UK, London, Lafayette

17th – UK, Manchester, Albert Hall (SOLD OUT)

23rd – Germany, Berlin, Lido

24th – Germany, Hamburg, Übel & Gefährlich

25th – Belgium, Antwerp, Trix Club

30th – France, Paris, Supersonic

31st – Netherlands, Rotterdam, Rotown (SOLD OUT)

APRIL

1st – Netherlands, Amsterdam, Paradiso Tolhuistuin

14th – UK, Belfast, Limelight 2

15th – Ireland, Dublin, Academy

29th – Portugal, Porto, M.Ou.Co

Just Stop Oil plans ‘go slow’ march in Manchester on Saturday 28th January

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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Just Stop Oil plans ‘go slow’ march in Manchester on Saturday 28th January

Supporters of Just Stop Oil are planning a ‘go slow’ march in Manchester City centre next Saturday morning (28 Jan).

They are demanding that the government stops all new UK oil and gas projects.

Just Stop Oil supporters adopted the new tactic of slowing traffic to a crawling pace by marching slowly along roads across London in December. The Manchester action follows the group’s first Northern slow march in Sheffield on Thursday 18th January.

The actions in the North are being carried out in defiance of the Prime Minister’s recent threat to crack down on the ‘go slow’ marches. Further such actions are planned across the north over the coming months.

David Nixon, a Just Stop Oil supporter who plans to attend the march, said “The government is intent on crushing anyone who opposes its broken regime. Whether it’s union members demanding fair pay and working conditions, or ordinary people demanding a liveable future for their children, the government is silencing dissent by introducing ever more draconian laws to criminalise us. We all need to stand up against this monstrous attack on our democracy and on our very survival before it’s too late. Join us”.

Just Stop Oil is hosting a talk entitled “Our Responsibilities at This Time” on Sunday 22nd January, 2pm at Hulme Community Garden Centre.

easyJet’s renowned Fearless Flyer course returns to Manchester this February

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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<strong>easyJet’s renowned Fearless Flyer course returns to Manchester this February</strong>

Manchester course to help aerophobics overcome their fear of flying now on sale
Experience flight taking off from Manchester Airport on 4^th February
VIP package including a dedicated Captain to guide you through the experience flight also available to book now

easyJet is bringing its Fearless Flyer course back to Manchester on Saturday 4^th February, to help nervous flyers take control and overcome their fears.

Over the last 10 years, the course, which has helped more than 10,000 phobics to date, continues to be one of the best-priced aerophobia courses in the UK, starting at just £89 per person.

Featuring a virtual element of the programme that was introduced earlier this year, easyJet’s Fearless Flyer course is divided into three main parts:

A virtual ground course, where top phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and a senior easyJet captain will explain the unfamiliar sounds and sensations customers feel onboard an aircraft and teach them a unique set of mind techniques to manage their nerves. This session lasts approximately two and a half hours.
A pre-flight one-hour ‘Meet the Team’ online Zoom session, where participants will be walked through the airport experience and what to expect. There will also be a participant Q&A session where phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and an easyJet pilot will answer any last-minute questions.
And lastly, a special one-hour experience flight from the course airport, where customers put their new skills to the test whilst listening to a live commentary of the flight from the Fearless Flyer team.

In addition to the standard course, a VIP course is also on offer and includes extra exclusive benefits including a dedicated Captain who will guide you through the experience flight day, a pre-flight private video call with a pilot and the Fearless Flyer team, VIP check-in process, security and boarding for the experience flight, guaranteed upfront seats, and lifetime access to additional course materials.

A limited number of spaces on the courses are now available at fearlessflyer.easyjet.com

Captain Chris Foster, Fearless Flyer Lead Pilot at easyJet, said:

“We’re delighted to have launched our renowned Fearless Flyer course with courses now available to book in Manchester. The course is suitable for anyone who is a nervous flyer, whether they experience slight anxiety or they have never flown before and with a success rate of more than 95%, we would encourage anyone wishing to overcome their fear to take part.”

Mark Wein, easyJet’s Fearless Flyer Course Director, commented:

“Around one in six people have a fear of flying, stopping many from travelling abroad on holiday, visiting friends and family or even flying for work, so why wait to join so many who have already overcome their fears through our renowned Fearless Flyer course? We’re excited to help many more people get flying fearlessly on our courses over the coming months – the results are truly life-changing.”

Ann Cobbe, who took the course in the summer and hadn’t flown for 30 years, said:

“This is a brilliant course. I was sceptical when signing up but by the end of the flight I really was a ‘fearless flyer’. The online course is amazing and explains everything in detail. The coping mechanisms includes 4 different techniques, each very achievable by all. The zoom meeting with the Fearless Flyer Team a couple of days before the flight meant you could ask any questions you wanted and put my mind at ease. The flight experience was fantastic. The team were with us the whole way, reassuring us all throughout the process. During the flight the Pilot explained everything to us including the sounds, the changes in engine noise, turbulence etc. At the end of the flight a group of very happy ex-phobics left the plane. I just wish I had done this years ago. I’m so glad I can now fly anywhere I wish to and I really recommend this course to everybody who wants to enjoy ‘fearless flying’.”

The online course is available right now, and the experience flight will take place on Saturday 4^th February at Manchester airport.

For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, log onto www.easyJet.com or follow @easyJet_Press

MANCHESTER-BREWED STOUT TROUNCES BEST SELLING COMPETITION IN BLIND TASTE TEST

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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MANCHESTER-BREWED STOUT TROUNCES BEST SELLING COMPETITION IN BLIND TASTE TEST

Tryanuary is a time to sample new tastes .

With this in mind, it is a perfect opportunity to try out a newcomer to the stout market which has just defeated age old competition in a battle of the beers.

Iconic and independent brewery Joseph Holt pitched its award-winning Trailblazer stout against Guinness in a blind taste test, with 85 per cent of consumers preferring the Manchester-made brew to the Irish dry stout.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the results – especially since Trailblazer is a relative newcomer to the stout market and Guinness is over 250 years old “ said Phil Parkinson, head brewer at Joseph Holt. “Even more satisfying is that, having blind tested drinkers of all ages, so many younger people enjoyed Trailblazer too. And with Tryanuary a time when people are encouraged to try new things, Trailblazer is a must for those who want to enjoy a fantastic stout.”

Indeed Manchester-based brewery, Joseph Holt, which owns 127 pubs across the North West, says that since the launch of its Trailblazer stout, there has been a 63 per cent increase in the number of younger drinkers ordering a glass.

Brewed with distinct roasted barley, Trailblazer has a smoky, dark roast coffee aroma with hints of chocolate, treacle, liquorice, and nutty notes. With its velveted body and firm creamy head, it also strikes a subtle bitter sweet taste with a fine, dry finish. The industry has already recognised the quality of the product after Trailblazer took a silver medal at the 2021 International Brewing Awards.

The Joseph Holt brewery was established by its eponymous founder in 1849, and has since been in the same family for six generations. Its beers are supplied to over 500 locations nationally. Stout was first brewed in this country at the beginning of the 18th century. It was originally known as porter, since it was popular with London street market workers: the strongest variety was known as stout porter, which was eventually shortened to just stout.

To blind test the two types of stout, drinkers were given unmarked glasses of the two products. After assessing the stouts for their appearance, they then sampled each drink to compare their taste.

You can watch a full video of drinkers carrying out the tests here:

Added Phil: “We are delighted that Trailblazer stout was preferred by the majority. The decision for Joseph Holt to brew its own stout – in the face of long-time established brands – stemmed from opening up after lockdown and a desire to launch new products as we welcomed people back into our pubs. The drink proved extremely popular as soon it was available . And this taste test shows that you can be a new drink on the block and still prove more popular than those which have been around for, literally, centuries.”

DTZ Investors signs lease with GAIL’s for first Manchester site

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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<strong>DTZ Investors signs lease with GAIL’s for first Manchester site</strong>

DTZ Investors have signed a 10-year lease with artisan bakery GAIL’s to open their first Manchester site at 16-18 King Street.

The site which will take over the ground, lower ground and basement space totals 3,847 sq ft and will comprise a retail bakery with a large seating area, open kitchen and team training area.

Tom Royston, DTZ Investors said: “Attracting world-class brands has been a crucial part of the strategy since we took over as majority landlords at King Street. GAIL’s choosing King Street to launch their first Manchester site is testament to the calibre of brands the district is able to attract and we are really looking forward to their launch.”

A spokesperson for GAIL’s said: “We are pleased GAIL’s will be opening on Manchester’s famous King Street. Our team spent a lot of time in Manchester finding the right location for the bakery. As a neighbourhood craft bakery, we offer our customers freshly baked food, which is baked on site each day and hand roasted speciality grade coffee and we can’t wait to bring our food and passion to Manchester this year.”

GAIL’s, is a modern British bakery group, making good food from the best ingredients. It carefully selects like-minded artisan producers to make the quality ingredients which go into baking. GAIL’s is also passionate about reducing waste and sourcing sustainably. The critically acclaimed Waste Not range of bread, pantry and pastry products are produced by incorporating by-product ingredients from food making processes, like off-cuts from dough and yesterday’s bread.

A sustainable approach is also paramount in their property design. GAIL’s work with partners so new bakeries are built sustainably, often upcycling and restoring from existing bakeries to revamp new sites.

GAIL’s commitment to quality has been widely acknowledged and several of their products have won prestigious awards. In 2022, GAIL’s was awarded fourteen Great Taste Awards by the Guild of Fine Foods, the most respected accreditation scheme for artisan and specialty food.

The group has recently announced the launch of its first Northern site in Wilmslow which is set to open in early 2023.

GAIL’s Manchester is scheduled to launch in the spring 2023.

The unit currently houses clothing brand White Stuff who will move to a new unit within DTZ Investors ownership on King Street, highlighting their commitment to the retail and leisure district.

GAIL’s is set to join a number of other F&B brands located on the street including El Gato Negro, TAST, recently launched Franco Manca and The Parlour, which is set to open this year.

Lyon Thompson Letts and Orme acted as leasing agents on the deal. Gareth Storer at Four & Co acted for GAIL’s.

A pivotal moment made in the UK’s journey to net zero thanks to new North West industrial decarbonisation plan

Olivia McHugh

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23/01/2023

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A pivotal moment made in the UK’s journey to net zero thanks to new North West industrial decarbonisation plan

A powerful collaboration of industry leaders has set out a roadmap to decarbonisation for the UK’s first net zero cluster. The North West Cluster Plan revealed on 19th January by Net Zero North West sets out the action needed to supercharge the region’s green industrial revolution and deliver the UK’s first zero carbon cluster by 2040.

Unveiled by Andy Carter MP at an event at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Cluster Plan demonstrates a £30bn pipeline of live investable projects with the opportunity for £207bn to be invested in the region overall.

The North West is the first region to reveal its Cluster Plan, providing a blueprint for the rest of the UK. It follows the publication last week of Chris Skidmore MP’s net zero review ‘Mission Zero’, which showcased the huge global opportunity in decarbonisation and the need for the UK to move quickly.

Andy Carter, MP for Warrington South, said:

“I had the pleasure of launching Net Zero North West’s manifesto in 2021, which showed how the region can spearhead the UK’s transition to net zero by 2050, and the publication of today’s Cluster Plan shows how we’re doing just that. The North West is harnessing its strengths in advanced manufacturing, energy intensive industry and regional collaboration to become the UK’s first net zero region by 2040 and seize the economic opportunity of our generation.

“The Mission Zero review has been crystal clear that business needs more policy and funding support if it is to fulfil its crucial role in delivering a green industrial revolution. I will be encouraging the government to give the Net Zero North West Cluster Plan the attention it deserves and prioritise backing our region’s industry to accelerate this blueprint for clean growth.”

Carl Ennis, Chairman, Net Zero North West and CEO, Siemens GB&I said:

“The Mission Zero review published last week is clear – that we need action and a robust plan to reach net zero in the UK. That’s exactly what we’ve delivered in the North West. A credible, deliverable and investable routemap to decarbonisation. The Cluster Plan brought industry together behind a shared purpose and clear vision, establishing a strong framework for delivery.

“This is a pivotal moment for the North West and UK’s journey to net zero. We are in a unique position to become world leaders in clean growth and we have the vision and passion to make it happen.”

Bryony Livesey, UKRI Challenge Director, Industrial Decarbonisation said:

“The Cluster Plan is one of six Cluster Plan projects funded by UKRI’s Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge programme as part of an £8 million portfolio. It has been good to see how the project has driven the industrial decarbonisation agenda for the North West, establishing a platform for investment into regions, green jobs creation, skills for Net Zero as well as promoting an inclusive culture for the region’s industry. This report recognises the scale and ambition of plans in the North West; while challenges remain, the work done so far shows the commitment and energy across cluster partners and what can be achieved in delivering the region’s vision for Net Zero.”

Industry in the North West produces 16.7 million tonnes of CO₂ every year. The Cluster Plan sets out a series of interventions that will be required to reach net zero.

Decarbonising the power sector – renewables alone will not be enough to reach net zero. Hydrogen and natural gas with carbon capture will also be required to meet energy demands. This will require the grid to be substantially reinforced.
Decarbonising industrial processes – through energy efficiency, carbon capture and use of low carbon fuels like hydrogen industrial processes will be decarbonised.
Hydrogen production – hydrogen will play a central role in the region’s decarbonisation strategy, providing low carbon power and enabling fuel switching for industry. Hydrogen with carbon capture through the HyNet project could produce 4GW of the Government’s new 10GW hydrogen target by 2030. Electrolytic hydrogen produced from regionally based renewable generation will also contribute.
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) – the development of regional CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure underpins both the direct capture of CO₂from industry and the production of low carbon hydrogen by HyNet. It will be expanded to include Energy from Waste (EfW) and biomass facilities combusting biogenic fuels (so-called Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage or ‘BECCS).
Power supply considerations – decarbonisation of industry will have significant implications for the power grid with an anticipated need for significant new generation, to reinforce the network substantially to enable new developments to come forward and for industry to electrify some processes.

Alongside leading hydrogen and carbon capture project, HyNet North West the region is also unlocking hydrogen as a clean fuel for transportation, including plans for the UK’s first plastic to hydrogen facility at Protos in Cheshire. The North West is also a national centre for renewable energy investment and innovation, with ambitions to maximise the use of its land and coastal assets and put wind, tidal and solar energy at the heart of powering the region, including the multi-billion pound Mersey Tidal Power project. The region also has the advantage of a world class nuclear industry in Cumbria, centred around Sellafield, which could be expanded and used to produce cheaper industrial electrolytic hydrogen supported by the roll out of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

The two year Cluster Plan project was jointly funded by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), under the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Fund (IDCF), and by industry and will form part of a national cluster plan strategy being prepared by UKRI and Government.

The Cluster Plan was developed by a consortium of partners including Net Zero North West, Peel NRE, North West Business Leadership Team, Cheshire & Warrington LEP, University of Chester, Liverpool City Region LEP with research partners including EQUANS, Uniper, Progressive Energy, Cadent and SP Energy Networks.

To download a copy of the report visit www.netzeronw.co.uk

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